On Wednesday, September 13th, Mrs. Deborah O’Hara Ruskowski, Delegate and Special Advisor on Human Trafficking to the Ambassador for the Sovereign Order of Malta Mission to the United Nations, and Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Boston, inaugurated the new O’Connell House, named after the former rector, Fr. Terry O’Connell, OMI, in the Boston area.
The newly renovated safe home’s mission is to serve women who have been the victims of sex trafficking. The new facility has the capability to accept those who may be pregnant and/or who may have a small child. The building itself is a former rectory and has 15 very large bedrooms—enough to fit an extra crib or twin bed in addition to the double bed. Each bedroom also has its own private bathroom. Among the 15 rooms, one room is an overnight room for the Sisters who provide 24/7 care, another one is a Therapist/Consultative Room— leaving 13 rooms for residents. The house has an industrial size kitchen and laundry, as well as office space, meeting rooms, large dining area, an exercise area, a clinical room with clinician office area, and a beautiful Chapel.
Mrs. Rusckowski’s non-profit organization, Global Strategic Operatives (GSO), has established a good relationship with law enforcement, FBI and Homeland Security to assist in placement of victims. They also have partnered with a number of Catholic, pro-life woman’s health care facilities and have trained & hired a community of Catholic Sisters as ‘care providers,’ to provide a loving, nurturing presence in the home for the victims’ rehabilitation. All staff will be trained by GSO and will be taught Trauma Informed Care, with a Victim-centered approach.
Ms. Costanza Lucii, human trafficking advisor of the Sovereign Order of Malta Mission to the United Nations, the Boston Delegation of the Order of Malta American Association, and plenty of esteemed guests attended the inauguration which included a special blessing given by Cardinal Seán O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston.
